Hello everybody,
Maintenance is a huge topic in asset-focused industries. SAP has used customer input to continuously provide solutions that support the latest trends here.
SAP Predictive Maintenance and Service for Utilities is the latest solution that helps utilities
to analyze the health of their assets and predict a potential breakdown.
However, what comes next? It is clear that in the future
robots will become increasingly important. It would be great, if they could perform all of our monotonous tasks? It is also clear that
Virtual and Augmented Reality are becoming popular in various fields.
3D projections in combination with
voice control systems will further improve the user interaction and work in combination with traditional user interfaces.
We wanted to integrate both trends in a scenario that can add value to a utility. Value in this case means
reducing maintenance costs and protecting the workforce.
Many utilities have dangerous sites that require 24/7 inspections. A prediction or early detection of potential issues during production and transmission is key to ensuring reliability of supply. Any malfunctions that occur need to be resolved quickly without endangering the workforce.
A solution to overcome these challenges could be a
robot that permanently inspects the dangerous site. A
360° on board camera then creates a
virtual twin of the observed asset and only notifies the control center if it detects any irregularities. The maintenance expert can first
check issues virtually in more detail before deciding if a service technician needs to enter the site physically. To do this, the expert sends the robot to the exact position of the occurrence to obtain further clarification. The robot can then
take pictures or movies illustrating the condition of the asset and upload it to the
SAP Asset Intelligence Network. Using this cloud-based solution, experts at
connected suppliers can decide what action to take and inform either the control center or the maintenance worker directly by sending a service order to the
SAP S/4HANA system (Digital Core). The
service order also contains the
safety instructions provided by the
SAP Environment, Health and Safety solution. A camera
scans whether the maintenance worker has the
correct protective clothing and will only open up the locker room then. During the service,
Smart Glasses help to navigate to the asset, recognize it, and display instructions. If further help is required, the technician can remotely connect to the expert from the supplier.
If we have raised your interest, you should come to our exhibition at this years’
International SAP for Utilities Conference in Lisbon. You can experience this scenario and even steer a robot through an obstacle course– and maybe win a prize!
See you there!
